Beyond the Mosque - (World of Islam) by Rizwan Mawani (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies

While mosques are the central house of worship for a majority of Muslims around the world, many of Islam's communities have developed their own distinctive religious spaces. These complementary spaces serve the different cultures, geographies and interpretations of Islam that continue to enrich the Muslim tradition.

In this book, Rizwan Mawani encounters diverse communities and their sites of worship, from the mosque and husayniya to the khanaqah and jamatkhana. Readers are introduced to a variety of Muslim spaces, modest and elaborate - their distinct structures and the rituals practised within them, as well as the purposes they serve as community centres and markers of identity. Beyond the Mosque reveals architectural responses to evolving community needs and local environments, from Senegal and China to Iran and India. This illuminating survey celebrates the significant pluralism that characterises the living Muslim tradition today.

About the Author

Rizwan Mawani is a Canadian educator and researcher who specialises in anthropology and comparative religious studies. His research focuses on the diversity of religious practices and spaces, as well as understandings of leadership and authority within contemporary Muslim communities. He has advised NGOs and think tanks and helped to set policy, as well as addressing audiences worldwide. His popular written work has featured in The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal.